Pune: Citizens’ Forum Demands Cable Policy Over PMC’s Inaction on Overhead and Ground Cables
Viman Nagar, 17th June 2025: The Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forum (ANRCF) has raised serious concerns over the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) handling of overhead and underground cables, urging the Maharashtra Government to formulate a comprehensive Cable Policy within the next three months.
The Forum has submitted a formal letter to PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and other senior civic officials, while also copying key state leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
Qaneez Sukhrani, Convenor of ANRCF, in her communication stated, “This is a serious matter threatening public safety. The cables — whether overhead or on the ground — are here, there, and everywhere. They pose a danger to pedestrians, two-wheeler riders, and even risk electrocution during the monsoons if left exposed.”
Sukhrani criticised the PMC for conducting only “sporadic drives” to remove illegal cables and failing to hold any specific department accountable. She said, “The Ward Office has no nodal officer to regularly inspect and report these violations, and Zonal Commissioners are not demanding daily accountability from ward-level staff.”
Key Concerns Raised:
Lack of Accountability: No single PMC department has taken full responsibility for monitoring or managing the issue. Private Operators Evading Costs: Private cable and internet operators are allegedly avoiding PMC’s mandated cost of ₹12,000 per running metre for underground cabling by routing cables overhead instead.
MAHAPREIT Concessions Misused: Sukhrani alleged that the state-nominated MAHAPREIT allowed select contractors to avoid fees over 500 km of roadways, further enabling damage without restoration of roads or footpaths.
Hazardous Public Spaces: Overhead cables without proper insulation or endpoints lie dangerously low across roads and footpaths, posing serious threats, especially during the monsoon.
Unpaid Dues: PMC’s own data shows staggering unpaid dues — ₹1,325 crore from telecom operators and ₹1,788 crore from TV and broadband service providers.
Sukhrani demanded that every overhead cable should be removed, and the cost of trenching and reinstating roads or footpaths should be borne by the entity laying the cable.
She also questioned the logic behind allowing “confiscated cables to pile up like garbage or abandoned vehicles,” calling it a reflection of PMC’s administrative inefficiency.
“It is sincerely hoped that the Guardian Minister does not disregard our communication on protection of public life,” Sukhrani concluded, urging the state government to take immediate action and frame a unified policy to curb this civic menace.
The forum’s letter underscores the growing frustration among residents over urban mismanagement and highlights the urgent need for a regulatory framework to ensure public safety and accountability in urban infrastructure.
